"THE FUTURE FLICKERED BEFORE HIM AS A LIKELY SERIES OF DISAPPOINTMENTS" -- ANNIE PROULX

Monday, April 14, 2008

The Plot Thickens

Further to the final part of my previous entry: like many a well-framed multiple-choice question, the least likely answer is the correct answer. It turns out that The Raconteurs, from the point of view of Australia only, are a band from somewhere in Queensland. The Raconteurs, from the point of view of Jack White, Brendan Benson et al, are in Australia The Saboteurs. This was confirmed by a visit to JB Hi-Fi on the weekend (en route to a rendezvous with two young boys at the local Warhammer store: now there's an oddly comforting combination of male teenage body odors, death metal music, and impeccable good manners): nothing under Raconteurs, plenty of Raconteurs records under "Saboteurs".

Well, good luck to the Queenslanders, I suppose, in holding out for the use of their own name. But two things come to mind.

1. This type of thing was all very well when all media were local, but such is no longer the case. Folks who are interested in the music of The Raconteurs (the real Raconteurs, that is) probably are also users of the Internet. On the Internet, you will not find many references to The Saboteurs. You will find lots of references to The Raconteurs. Not many of those are references to the Queensland Raconteurs.

2. What happens if the Queensland Raconteurs suddenly find themselves big in a land where the other Raconteurs are allowed to be called The Raconteurs? (They could call themselves The Saboteurs, I suppose. That would be a laff riot, wouldn't it?)

And while we're on the subject of The Raconteurs, does Joe Jackson get a songwriting credit for "Steady As She Goes"? It's in the bass line.